Brought Together
by UmiHoshi
Summary: Tezuka and Fuji are obviously in love, but just won't confess. And the tension is dreadful to the rest of the tennis team. Echizen decides to take matters in own hands.
It wasn't like Fuji hadn't noticed.

And even Tezuka wasn't so out of this world that it had went past him completely.

Practice wasn't going as smooth as they all wanted. and pretty sure, they were to blame.

stealing absent glances, being hardly addressable at those times.

uncomfortable irritation, which both of them only knew to stress out on others.

A dreary reluctance, that did no good for the team spirit.

There were times Fuji would even feel pretty guilty with how far he'd let his teasing go. last week, he even got Eiji to cry.

Jealousy. Fuji knew well enough that he was being incredibly petty. But when Tezuka Kunimitsu comes at topic, he just couldn't help himself...

.

To sum matters up: the entirety of the Seigaku tennis team was suffering along to Fuji not confessing that he's in love with Tezuka.

Or Tezuka not being the one to do so, however you'd like to see it.

.

Of course, Fuji knew, Tezuka wasn't a man who would let anything, not even something silly as puppy-love, get in his way.

Practice was always there. And it was accurately spartan.

Fuji admired Tezuka for not letting anything stop him. Probably the reason entirely why they hadn't confronted each other about anything yet.

Fuji was well aware that Tezuka wasn't entirely uninterested in the feelings Fuji bore for him.

But undoubtedly, he'd reply things like 'there are things I need to focus on right now', 'I'm not strong enough yet.'

Or was Tezuka just an idiot? was he clueless to what was going on?

It wouldn't surprise Fuji either. The possibility made the captain a whole lot cuter in his secret admirer's eyes.

But no matter how hard Tezuka worked diligently, the focus level left much to wish for, not only for the two of them, but the entire team.

Especially for someone who lived and breathed tennis like Echizen Ryoma.

And more then Tezuka, Fuji knew well enough what his tiny favorite junior was up to.

.

Echizen could be endearingly simple from time to time.

If there's tennis, he's in a good mood.

If there's no tennis, he's in a bad mood.

So as Seigaku wasn't being very productive, Echizen often lounged at Rikkai after school time.

.

Fuji and Rikkai's captain Yukimura often called on the phone. Things related to botanic or tennis.

But lately, most of it was about Echizen.

It was a good thing that the boy went over to Rikkai, to Fuji's opinion.

All the more because it could be speculated if what his young fellow prodigy was doing was allowed or not.

But Yukimura wouldn't particularly care for rules like 'don't play members from other teams outside of practice.'

And if any certain vice-captain would mention, Yukimura had enough 'reasoning power' to silence them for good- err, for sure.

More then that though, Yukimura had started to address the boy as 'Ryoma-kun'.

There was a certain fondness in his voice that made Fuji sure that his underclassman was in good hands.

.

"I think he might be up to something though, Fuji-kun.

He's been talking about how the two of you make practice a drag and that something needs to be done.

Honestly, the irritation is oozing off of him." Yukimura spoke heartily on the phone.

"Ah. Echizen's usually quite obedient, but we might have snapped something with our reluctance." Fuji chuckled.

"Why don't you just give it a try and confess? You won't know for sure."

"Et tu, Yukimura?" the tensai quoted. "I'll do so if you will too."

"Fufu~ you're treading on thin ice there, Fuji-kun. Either way, I'll keep an eye on Ryoma-kun, so don't worry too much on that."

"Alright. I will be careful on this side too. Thank you for your care."

.

And as Yukimura had predicted, something did happen indeed.

Only the next day, there was a rare occasion where Tezuka came to him out of himself.

"Fuji."

Not even looking at Tezuka yet, there was already so much he could deduct from that voice.

Dismay. Uncomfort. Suppressed annoyance. Embarrassed to be there. Knowledge that whatever had happened had been a prank.

Feigning innocence to play it save, Fuji turned to his captain and replied: "Yes?"

Tezuka was holding a scrap of paper out to him. The look in his eyes was that of a man who was calculating the amount of laps everyone had to run.

Fuji took the paper and read what stood on it:

.

 _'Dear Tezuka-kun,_

 _I really really really love you._

 _The laps you give me are wonderful and I'm sure there are other things you could give me,_

 _if you know what I mean._

 _In love,_

 _Fuji Syuusuke '_

.

"My..." Fuji tried to suppress his laughter.

This hadn't been Echizen alone. He must've reluctantly asked for some help from his seniors and they had gone haywhire, including heart stickers and

drawn tennis balls.

Just what kind of image was Fuji emitting to their team? surely, even if thoughts like this undoubtedly DID pass his mind occasionally, he'd never

actually say them out LOUD.

How embarrassing...

Well, at least Tezuka noticed as well that it wasn't Fuji's personal work.

not so much because he held the tasteless wording above his friend, but more-so because it's been forever since Fuji had last called him 'Tezuka-kun'

'I'm going to kill them' Fuji thought amused to himself.

"125 laps." Oh! Tezuka was done calculating. He turned back to move to the court and shouted: "125 laps! ALL of you!"

.

So that didn't exactly go as his peers had planned. Fuji was pretty sure at least Inui would have seen this disaster coming. Probably, the data had

been worth it.

Ow, how many things could have been prevented if Inui Sadaharu wasn't a data-mania...

As such, Inui was the first victim of Fuji's sly vengeance. but that is a story for another time.

Fuji felt slightly melancholic after things calmed down in the tennis club.

If this was the help he was going to get from his teammates, he'd rather do without.

Either way, Fuji was someone who wanted to do things in his own pace. People were being pushy.

But he doubted this was going to be the last of it.

.

and surely, a few days later he caught air of their newest plan: lock the two of them up in a room.

it was a clean and simple plan, save for the fact that they held no account of:

1\. Tezuka has a one track mind and would focus entirely on getting the door to open.

2\. if being in one room with Tezuka was all it took, we'd be married by now.

3\. someone had to open the door eventually and be the first one to face our wrath.

Fuji decided to be the good tattler and went to inform Tezuka.

.

"imprisonment. That's their new plan." Fuji leaned against the doorpost of the club room,

picking a well position to not let any door close on them, since he didn't know when and where the others were planing to execute their scheme.

Tezuka sighed bemused, almost stressed.

He too, must be getting tired of this mess.

Fuji figured he was beyond the point of calculating and was just going to throw them a random, impossible number.

Not entirely undreadful to Fuji, since he had to run them too...

.

"...It's not going all too well, is it, Tezuka?" Fuji spoke in the end, a bit saddened.

He hated seeing the other distressed. if it considered himself, he couldn't care less how much he was suffering in silence.

But he never wanted to hurt Tezuka...

"Maybe... we should just hear them out? and-..." Fuji hesitated,

"...-I know what you're going to say. That things like this will get in the way of our objectives. of the team's moral.

But isn't it already doing so as we speak?"

Even if Fuji was wording matters, he still didn't dare to address what he meant with 'it' entirely yet.

He moved his hand to place it encouragingly on his friend's shoulder, but it didn't reach further then doubtfully tugging a bit of his shirt's fabric by the

collarbone.

Fuji didn't dare to look him in the eyes.

and Tezuka...

"...500 laps."

Tezuka is a coward too.

But as the captain walked away, Fuji saw him motion his hand to come along.

This impudence had gone on long enough.

And with a more secured smile, Fuji followed him.

.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tezuka spoke in his authorial cold voice.

He was clearly pissed. Fuji couldn't disagree, either.

Wanting to lock people up was something he wouldn't care for, sure.

But the thought to be forced into confrontation against his will, plus Tezuka flipping out over such disloyalty was aggravating enough.

"What exactly was it that you were planning to do to us, I wonder?" Fuji's voice was a whole lot calmer then Tezuka.

But he was well aware that exactly this was far scarier to the regulars then the icefront they were so used to from their captain.

Cowering for the 2 most intimidating members of the club, the regulars tried desperately to make excuses and amends.

All save for one of them.

"Fuji-senpai, buchou." Echizen spoke up. He sound in no way remorseful to what he had wanted to try and do.

In fact:

"Can you cut it out? You love each other, right? So please kiss, make out or do what you want. Just don't involve you problems in practice. It's a

nuisance."

Everyone was silent and stared at the shorty who addressed the elephant in the room so blatantly.

In that moment, Fuji almost felt a sense of admirance for his younger.

Despite always being the happy-go-lucky, there were a lot of things Fuji couldn't say so easily like that.

But Echizen was fearless. And the cocky brat seemed to have given Fuji courage. if not accompanied with him being pissed off.

But as for Tezuka's response:

"Echizen... a 1000 laps around the court."

He spoke every single word separately, drenching them in gravity.

There was no actual way that a human being could run a 1000 laps. But Tezuka sure would like to see him try.

Echizen went. And from the looks of it, with not a single regret to the words he had spoken.

.

As practice ended and the regulars dripped off, Fuji saw that Echizen was still running.

It was originally Oishi's job to keep watch, but Fuji had volunteered. He felt like he was partly to blame, anyway.

Oishi's worry as he left was pretty unfounded though, Fuji concluded. Echizen wouldn't go under from something like this.

Fuji cared more for what Tezuka's state of mind would be at the moment.

Since Echizen's comment, they hadn't exchanged another word.

But Echizen was right. If Fuji wanted things to change, he had to step up and face Tezuka properly.

.

"Fuji..." Tezuka spoke, his back still turned to him.

The shades of the changing room and the setting sun outside made him look more solemn and adult then even his usual self.

The words of that afternoon had worked in on him as well.

"He called us a nuisance. So much that they wanted to lock us up." Fuji spoke cynical.

"Echizen wasn't wrong... It's because of me that training has been uncomfortable for everyone..."

Fuji sighed resigned. "It's no just you. I'm too blame as well."

" No. Fuji. Please let me say this. Because I've run away from the truth, we're in this situation now."

'I was running away just the same.' Fuji thought. but as Tezuka wished, he didn't interrupt him.

"But what Echizen said made me realize that I should face you. Fuji, I-"

As tough as Tezuka tried to act, his eyes glided away from the young tensai's face as a pink hue colored his face.

"Ich liebe dich."

Fuji couldn't help but snort. German! At a time like this!

"Oh Tezuka! you-" Fuji sputtered, trying to stop himself from laughing and punched playfully against Tezuka's stomach.

But catching his breath, Fuji felt incredibly grateful to hear those words. No matter what language.

"Me too... I really love you too, Tezuka." he spoke softly.

.

Tezuka's eyes met with Fuji's again and they felt like a huge load dropped off their shoulders.

Then and there, they kissed for the first time.

It was gentle and soft, though Fuji admitted it was more intense then he had anticipated it to be.

And Fuji couldn't help but entertain the thought that it had all been thanks to Echizen.

Their cheeky rookie strikes again, not only as the pillar of Seigaku. But as their personal reluctant cupid~

.

"..-Te..zuka?" Fuji was the first to halve-wanting break their kiss.

"hnn?" Tezuka hummed, their lips still close.

"Echizen... he's still running, isn't he?"

Tezuka's face winced in remorse as he pulled away and headed outside, a spurt to his step as he regretted being so harsh to the first year.

Too harsh in fact, they noticed as they eyed the kid who was still running... or rather, faltering stubbornly.

I suppose he won't be going to Rikkaidai again any time soon.

.

As both hurried over to him like parents to a child,

Echizen knew enough from giving them one glance.

Being completely out of breath, but finding it totally worth it none the less, he muttered weakly and cheeky:

"So practice'll be normal again, starting tomorrow~?"


End file.
